overland

*** What you get with an OTG Route Guide ***

OTG Ben

OTG Principal Explorer
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
469
Location
NorCal
When you purchase a subscription from OTG, you get much more than just a written route guide and gpx track. The devil is in the details, and that's what separates our Route Guides and digital mapping files from other sites and platforms. Here's what you can find in each of our guides:

Detailed Route Guides
First and foremost, you get access to the detailed route guide. This provides descriptions about the general area (scenery, flora and fauna, areas of historical or geological signficiance), challenging trails along the route (if they apply), and recommended places to see. Think of the route guide as a Cliff's Notes version of the route. While we don't provide turn-by-turn directions, you should get a sense if the route is suitable for your interests, skillset, and vehicle.

Discovery Points
Since 2021, nearly all of our newly developed routes contain discovery points. Discovery Points were made populate by the California Backcountry Discovery Trail system when the first edition (Mendocino) was officially released in 1996. Discovery points are places that often hold some sort of historical or geological significance. It may be a giant lava flow, the site of an old ghost town, or where an emigrant trail passed through. The discovery points add character and nuance to each route, livening up the plot of the adventure.

Route Meta Data (Season, technical rating, recommended vehicles, etc)
With each of our rates you'll get an average and peak technical rating. The average technical rating represents what you can expect the technical characteristics to be for most of the route. The peak technical rating represents the section or sections that are the most technical along the route. OTG relies on OnX Off Road's 10 point rating system. If the peak technical rating exceeds your skillset or vehicle's capabilities, you may need to consider avoiding the section if there is no alternative detour.

Additional information is also provided in relation to the minimum recommended vehicle, recommended seasons to visits, if permits are required and more. The vast majority of our routes can be travelled with a stock 4x4, and many can be travelled in an AWD/Crossover type vehicle like a Subaru or RAV4.

Photos / Videos
For most of our route guides, we provide photos from either the OTG crew or OTG members out on the trail. Some Route Guides also feature detailed Route Guide Videos that our hosted on our Youtube channel. If you'd like your photos featured, please email us!

Digital Mapping Files
All routes include digital mapping files, typically options for both GPX and KMZ files. Most GPX files are formatted to work with Gaia GPS custom mapping icons. You can still load these GPX files into other applications like OnX Off Road or Garmin, but you'll end up with a generic red marker for the various waypoints and discovery points.

Camping Recommendations
S you don't end up searching miles and miles for camp, we've added detailed information about recommendation locations for camping, both primitive and developed campgrounds. All campsite locations are marked within the digital mapping files as well.

Alternative Routes
Many of our routes contain alternative routes. These alternative routes exist for a number of reasons, such as (but not limited to):
  • More technical trail options
  • Detours to avoid more technical trails
  • Winter friendly detours
  • An additional adventure to a point of interest off the main track
 
Last edited:

OTG Ben

OTG Principal Explorer
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
469
Location
NorCal
What do the trail rating colors mean? Is green the easiest?

We're simply highlighting the fact there is a trail status section. Refer to the trail ratings 1-10 rating for the avg and peak technical ratings of a route/trail.
 

fbachmei

Trail Grom
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
1
When you purchase a subscription from OTG, you get much more than just a written route guide and gpx track. The devil is in the details, and that's what separates our Route Guides and digital mapping files from other sites and platforms. Here's what you can find in each of our guides:

Detailed Route Guides
First and foremost, you get access to the detailed route guide. This provides descriptions about the general area (scenery, flora and fauna, areas of historical or geological signficiance), challenging trails along the route (if they apply), and recommended places to see. Think of the route guide as a Cliff's Notes version of the route. While we don't provide turn-by-turn directions, you should get a sense if the route is suitable for your interests, skillset, and vehicle.

Discovery Points
Since 2021, nearly all of our newly developed routes contain discovery points. Discovery Points were made populate by the California Backcountry Discovery Trail system when the first edition (Mendocino) was officially released in 1996. Discovery points are places that often hold some sort of historical or geological significance. It may be a giant lava flow, the site of an old ghost town, or where an emigrant trail passed through. The discovery points add character and nuance to each route, livening up the plot of the adventure.

Route Meta Data (Season, technical rating, recommended vehicles, etc)
With each of our rates you'll get an average and peak technical rating. The average technical rating represents what you can expect the technical characteristics to be for most of the route. The peak technical rating represents the section or sections that are the most technical along the route. OTG relies on OnX Off Road's 10 point rating system. If the peak technical rating exceeds your skillset or vehicle's capabilities, you may need to consider avoiding the section if there is no alternative detour.

Additional information is also provided in relation to the minimum recommended vehicle, recommended seasons to visits, if permits are required and more. The vast majority of our routes can be travelled with a stock 4x4, and many can be travelled in an AWD/Crossover type vehicle like a Subaru or RAV4.

Photos / Videos
For most of our route guides, we provide photos from either the OTG crew or OTG members out on the trail. Some Route Guides also feature detailed Route Guide Videos that our hosted on our Youtube channel. If you'd like your photos featured, please email us!

Digital Mapping Files
All routes include digital mapping files, typically options for both GPX and KMZ files. Most GPX files are formatted to work with Gaia GPS custom mapping icons. You can still load these GPX files into other applications like OnX Off Road or Garmin, but you'll end up with a generic red marker for the various waypoints and discovery points.

Camping Recommendations
S you don't end up searching miles and miles for camp, we've added detailed information about recommendation locations for camping, both primitive and developed campgrounds. All campsite locations are marked within the digital mapping files as well.

Alternative Routes
Many of our routes contain alternative routes. These alternative routes exist for a number of reasons, such as (but not limited to):
  • More technical trail options
  • Detours to avoid more technical trails
  • Winter friendly detours
  • An additional adventure to a point of interest off the main track
Your website and content are amazing! I have one question. Are the GPX files tracks or routes?
Tracks are preferred for reliable portability to garmin of the exact path taken.
If they are routes can you confirm that are they developed on / for Gaia.
 

OTG Ben

OTG Principal Explorer
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Apr 24, 2021
Messages
469
Location
NorCal
Your website and content are amazing! I have one question. Are the GPX files tracks or routes?
Tracks are preferred for reliable portability to garmin of the exact path taken.
If they are routes can you confirm that are they developed on / for Gaia.

They are all tracks. The benefit you get of using Gaia is that many of our GPX files use Gaia's mapping icons, so you don't end up with a bunch of generic red pins. As far as I know, the only way you can end up with a "route" in Gaia, is if you create it yourself. Anytime you upload a gpx file in Gaia, it's automatically turned into a track, and by default you lose the ability to edit the track.
 
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